The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-04-28

explosions. 1t is known that explosions
have occurred simultaneously with the
firing of shots in stone, and certain OF
these shots have been fired in dusty
main intake-road, and at points where
currents of air of over 10000 cubic feet
per minute were passing. 1t is almost
uncomfortable, except on the theory OF
the sudden outburst of gas at places
where tits in the highest degree improb-
able that such outbursts could occur,
that such air could contain any sensible
quantity of fire-damp. The conclusion
of air would certainly dislodge large
clouds of dust from the roof and from
the floor, and this once ignited, would
cause an explosive wave which would
travel throughout the pit or SO long as
the ignition was maintained by fresh
clouds of dust. szs.5 ~ ale
Of late years the use of explosives in
coal mines has been considerably re-
stricted, and some people have gone SO
far as to demand their absolute prohi-
bition. Explosive agents are, however,
much too powerful auxiliaries in colliery
working to be readily given up, and in
deed if they are used intelligently there
seems no reason why they should be
discarded. In the ease of gunpowder
much may be done to minimize the evil
by watering the roadways and roofs,
and by preventing as far as possible the
accumulation of dust. In the haulage-
ways and engine-planes the dust is
largely due to the action of the air cur
rents impinging against the broken coal
in the tubs, which frequently run from
ten to fifteen miles an hour along the
roads. A variety of methods have been
suggested for keeping down the dust,
but nothing seems to have been at
tempted on a sufficiently large scale.
This much seems certain; if the continu-
ance of shot-fring by means of gun
powder is to be permitted, this question Of
lrst will have to be more seriously
grappled with than it has been hitherto.
The Royal Commissioners have ereported
that they are convinced, from extensive
practical experiments carried out by
themselves and others, that the abolition
of the use of powder in dry and dusty
mines will not generally involve any
formidable inconvenience. There are
other methods of getting coal than by
the use Of gunpowoer, and some of
these are quite as efficient as, and
scarcely more expensive than powder.
Blasting by means of lime has of late
years been extensively praeticed. In
this process the expansive effect which
follows the slaking of quicklime, finely
powdered and pressed, by hydraulic
power into small cylindrical blocks, is
made use of. 1t is the opinion of the
Commissioners that in some coal seams
the lime cartridges will perform work
quite equal to that accomplished by
powder, at no greater cost and with
absolute immunity from risk of explo-
sions. Dynamite, tonite. and explosives
of this class can also safely be used in
conjunction with water for blasting in
stone, or shale, or coal, even in dusty
air containing fire-damp There are
also various mechanical appliances
which will do efficient work both in
coal and stone, and in which blasting is
altogether obyiated.
The limits of this paper will not allow
us to go into these matters at greater
length. 1t will be sufficiently evident
however, that we are rapidly dispelline
much of the obscurity which has hitherto
surrounded the origin of many collierJ
| explosions. There is good reason te
hope. therefore, that the time is not fal
distant when in the light of this fuller
knowledge and with the more intelli
gent supervision which should follow
from it, the frequency of these disasters
will be very greatly diminished. :
Waiter C. Smith, D. d., in Good Words